A quantum dot (QD) is a nanocrystal (NC) of a semiconductor material having a diameter that is small enough, typically on the order of a few nanometers in size, that its free charge carriers experience quantum confinement in all three dimensions. This allows QD properties (band gap, absorption spectrum, etc.) to be highly tunable, as QD size can be controlled during fabrication. As a result of this tunability, QDs are used in, or being developed for, a large number of industrial applications including solar cells, light-emitting diode (LED) displays, transistors, diode lasers, medical imaging, bioimaging, quantum computing, and QD display. Solution-processed QDs represent a promising route forward in reducing the cost of solar energy production. In addition to being solution processable, QD solar cells (QDSCs) have a higher limiting single junction power conversion efficiency than that possible using conventional bulk or thin film semiconductors due to enhanced multiple exciton generation in the QDs. Recent improvements in QDSC performance and processing have resulted from a variety of advancements in areas including modification of device architecture, processing of QD-layers under ambient conditions, improved QD synthetic procedures, and surface treatments improving QD passivation. Embodiments provided by the present disclosure represent an improvement over the state of the art and known methods of producing and treating QDs, post production. Traditional halide treatments using organic molecules may leave behind cationic organic residue that may limit QD device performance. Embodiments provided by the present disclosure provide significant and unexpected improvement upon traditional layer-by-layer approaches that use organic molecules.